Catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons with finely divided catalyst in two stages



$553 nwQmwzwewm II IO TO REGENERATOR *CATALYST LEVEL SLIDE I VALVES -I STEAM OIL VAPORS F. KUHN REHYDRATOR E1:;:;a la: 1

Filed June 21, 1947 SLIDE VALVES 101220 FQ WE O. I

DIVIDED CATALYST IN TWO STAGES HOPPER CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF HYDROCARBONS WITH FTNELY SLIDE VALVE Jan. 30, 1951 INVENTOR GEORGE I w KUHN BY mfialvrmdimyfiwmm VAPORS ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 30, 1951 CATALYTIC CONVERSION OF HYDROCAR- BONS WITH FINELY DIVIDED CATALYST IN TWO STAGES George F. Kuhn, Sinclair, Wyo., assignor to Sinclair Refining Company, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of Maine Application June 21 1947, Serial No. 756,290

This invention relates to pyrolytic conversion of hydrocarbons and more particularly to pyrolytic conversion processes involving the use of catalysts.

In the conversion of hydrocarbon base stocks to produce products having desired properties, suchas high octane number for use in gasoline, the stock is submitted to one of several processes, such as cracking, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, etc., in the presence of a catalyst.

In practicing the process of the present invention, the oil vapors and finely divided catalyst flow countercurrently through the main reactor.

The regenerated catalyst is mixed with the preheated charge oil and delivered to a chamber where'initial conversion occurs. This may be mild or severe, depending on catalyst rates and other conditions. In this chamber the catalyst and vapors, flowing co-currently, are separated by gravity and the vapors are conveyed to the bottom of the reactor. Additional catalyst may be added to the vapors, if desired, depending upon the particular conversion process being performed and on other factors.

The initial chamber is preferably arranged over the main reactor and connected to the top of the main reactor by a valved conduit. Thus, when the valve is opened, catalyst collected in the upper, chamber flows downwardly, by gravity, counter-current to the vapors delivered to the bottom of the main reactor. The main reactor is preferably provided with a plurality of distributing grids to promote admixture between the counter-currently flowing vapors and catalyst.

As a further refinement of the invention, the regenerated catalyst, before admixture with the vapors and delivery to the initial chamber, may be conveyed by steam into a chamber serving as a rehydrator. This is particularly desirable in connection with certain types of catalyst.

The invention further comprises an organization of apparatus elements consisting of a main reactor, a chamber over the main reactor with a connection between the two to deliver the catalyst to the top of the reactor and with another connection to deliver vapors from the initial chamber to the bottom of the main reactor. The invention includes means for delivering the mixture of vapors and catalyst to the initial chamber and means for adding additional catalyst to the stream of vapors delivered to the bottom of the reactor, if desired.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown, more or less diagrammatically, a vertical section of apparatus used in practicing the process and tanning a part of the invention.

4 Claims. (01. 196-49) a'bed in the chamber.

.In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 designates the main reactor. A chamber 2 is arranged over the main reactor and connected thereto by a conduit 3. A valve 4 is arranged in this conduit. A chamber 5 serving as asteam rehydrator for regenerated catalyst may also be provided and this chamber is connected to the initial chamber 2 in the manner herein described.

The regenerated catalyst is delivered. to the rehydrator through a pipe 6. This pipe is connected to a source of superheated steam and the, catalyst from the regenerator is delivered there-- Pipe 1 is provided with a; suitable valve or valves 8 to control delivery of? the catalyst to the pipe 6. The catalyst settles;

to through pipe I.

in the rehydrator as indicated by the dotted 111185 9, and the steam is exhausted therefrom, prefer-- ably to the regenerator, through a pipe ID. The: bottom of the rehydrator is preferably funnelshaped, as indicated at H, and is provided with one or more outlets. In the drawing I have illustrated a pair of outlets l2 and I3 controlled by valves l4 and l5.

The catalyst outlet I2 is connected to conduit It through which the preheated vaporized charge on is delivered to the initial chamber 2. As shown, the end of the conduit 16 is flared as at [8 and is provided with a grid I9, the flared end and grid being located in the lower portion of the chamber 2. The oil vapors and catalyst delivered into the chamber 2 rise in the chamber and the catalyst has a tendency to settle out forming The vapors, containing some of the catalyst,'are removed fromthe top of the chamber 2 through a pipe 2|. The other end of this pipe is arranged in the lower portion of the main reactor 1 and is provided with a flared end 22 covered by a grid 23. As shown, the second outlet l3 of the chamber 5 may communicate with the pipe 2| to deliver additional catalyst to the oil stream being fed into the reactor I. The reactor is also provided with a plurality of grids 24 and 25 which are preferably conical and with alternate grids reversed. In the upper part of the reactor I provide a pipe 26 communicating with the interior of the reactor through one or more cyclone separators 21 and connected to one or more outlet pipes 28 leading to fractionators or other apparatus in which the treated vapors are submitted to further treatment.

In practicing the process, valves 8 in pipe 1 are opened to deliver the finely divided catalyst into the pipe 6 and steam is injected into this pipe to convey the catalyst into the chamber 5. In the chamber 5 the catalyst settles, remaining in non-v tact with the steam for some appreciable period of time before the steam exhausts from the pipe [0, causing rehydration of the catalyst which is desirable in some types of operations and with certain-types'of catalyst. The catalyst is fed from the rehydrator through pipe "12, by opening valves l4, and is mixed with the preheated oil vapors fed through the pipe [6.

The mixture of catalyst and oil vapors is delivered to the initial chamber'2. In thisbhafmher the flow of vapors and catalystis comment but the catalyst tends to settle out forming a body of catalyst in the bottom of the chamber. The oil vapors containing some catalystg pass through the pipe 2| to the bottom of the reactor I. The treatment in the initial;chamber= Z- may be of any type desired, either mild or more severe than that which occurs in the main -ch'amber. Additional catalyst may or may not be delivered -to 'tli'e vapor'stream'inpipe?! through pipe I3.

The "-vapors flowing into-the bottom of the reactor travel upwardly and catalyst is delivered from the' chamber]; by opening valve 4, into the top'of the reactor and thus flows counter-current tothe vapors. The admixture of the vapors and 'catalystis-promote d by thegrids 24 and 25. The

treated vapors exh'austthrough cyclone separators 21,-pipe 26 and discharge pip'Les'ZB. The cat- -alystcollects-in the bottom-of thereacto-r, and :is removedtherefrom through pipe 3 which may beprovided with-suitable control valves (not shown).

rciaim:

1. In the-pyroli'tic conversion of hydrocarbons wherein-a charge oil in vapor phase iss'ubject'ed toconversiontemperatures -'in the' presence of a 'finely divided-catalyst,- the steps =comprising---delivering vaporized charge oil --with the catalyst suspended-therein to an initial conversion chamber wherein conversion of the charge oil is initiate'danda majonportion-of the catalyst separated from the vapors, withdrawing-the vapors f'roni"-an'upper zone'of the chamber and passing them directly with residual catalyst suspended therein to'a'lOWer-zOne of a second conversion chamber and passing the vapors upwardly throughsaid second chamber, withdrawing catalyst from alo'wer zone of'the initial conversion chamber and'passing the withdrawn catalyst to an upper zone of these'cond conversion chamber and channeling the fi'O W OffSald catalysvalter- *nately towards anctaway from the" periphery of :the chamber whereby the catalyst iscaused' to i'low across the rising streamof vapors and withdrawingspent'catalystfrom a lower zone and thevapor's from" an upper zone ofth'e second conversion chamber.

' 2. Apparatus ofthe character described comprising a, primary conversion chamber, a second conversion chamber 'positionedatan elevation 4 lower than that of the first chamber, a rehydrating chamber in communication with the upper chamber, a conduit adapted to deliver a suspension of catalyst in steam to the rehydrating chamberia conduit adapted to deliver ga'f yaporized Y charge o'il' to the uppr charriber,a cbriduit connection extending from the rehydrating chamber to the last-mentioned conduit and adapted to deliver catalyst to said conduit, a conduit connectingA-anupper -zohe'of the upper chamber with a iewrgzone of the lower chamber, conduit means for conveying catalyst from a lower zone of the upper 'chamber toan upper zone of the lower h amjber and conduit means for delivering catalyst from'the rehydrating chamber to the said conduit connecting the upper chamber with the lower zone of the lower chamber.

3: Apparatus of thecharacter described comprising a reactor, a chamber over the reactor, a.

rehydrator in communication with" the chamber, a -conduit todeliver -steam and catalyst to the rehydrator,--a c'ondiiit to deliver vaporized oil to the chamber, a, connection extending fron1- therehy- 'drator to the -las't rnentioned conduit to" 'd'el iver catalyst to said conduit,-'a conduit extending" from the' ohamber to'the bottom of the reactorfa connection between the bottom of the'chamber and the top of the reactor-todeliver catalyst tothe top of the reactor and conduit means for delivering catalyst from the rehydrator to the conduit which extends from the"chambe'r to the bottom ofthereactor. I

4. Apparatus-in accordance with claim "3 in which the rehydrator is "positioned j atfan-elevation higher than the reactor-and the last said conduit means 4 is adapted 'tOj-COHVey' the catalyst from the" rehydratorby gravity.

" GEORGE F."KUHN.

' REFERENCESC IT-ED The following references are ofreco'rd in the file of'this patent:

UNITED 'STATES'PATENTS Number Name Date 2,325,136 Kassel July2 7, 1943 2349-514 Conn ivlayas; 194;; 2,398,759 Angeli H12)l'." 23, 1946 2,400,645 "H'ufi May 21; 1946 2,401,739 JOhliSO'n June 11, 1 946 2,408,600 Beig Oct. l, 1946 2,411,208 'Hall et al Nov. 1 9, 1946 2,416,730 Arvjes'on M312 4, 1947 2,440,620 Taff Apr: 27, 1948 2,450,724 Grbte Oct. 5,1948

"FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 574,892 Great Britain Jarir24j1946 

1. IN THE PYROLITIC CONVERSION OF HYDROCARBONS WHEREIN A CHARGE OIL IN VAPOR PHASE IS SUBJECTED TO CONVERSION TEMPERATURES IN THE PRESENCE OF A FINELY DIVIDED CATALYST, THE STEPS COMPRISING DELIVERING VAPORIZED CHARGE OIL WITH THE CATALYST SUSPENDED THEREIN TO AN INITIAL CONVERSION CHAMBER WHEREIN CONVERSION OF THE CHARGE OIL IS INITIATED AND A MAJOR PORTION OF THE CATALYST SEPARATED FROM THE VAPORS, WITHDRAWING THE VAPORS FROM AN UPPER ZONE OF THE CHAMBER AND PASSING THEM DIRECTLY WITH RESIDUAL CATALYST SUSPENDED THEREIN TO A LOWER ZONE OF A SECOND CONVERSION CHAMBER AND PASSING THE VAPORS UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID SECOND CHAMBER, WITHDRAWING CATALYST FROM A LOWER ZONE OF THE INITIAL CONVERSION CHAMBER AND PASSING THE WITHDRAW CATALYST TO 